Where does cashback come from - i.e. who pays it?

Tight_Wad

Hi, I joined Bulb Energy in June this year and signed up via the MSE energy club, but I can't remember if my tariff has a cash back component? It's their VARI-FAIR tariff.

If it did would I have recieved the cashback yet?

The reason I ask is that I'm thinking of switching to Shell energy as they have a fixed tariff until Oct 2020 and also is a cheaper tariff.

Does the cash back component come from the energy supplier (i.e. Bulb Energy) or somewhere else???

I'm worried if I switch then if I'm due cash back I won't get it.

savemoney

When I switched I got it from Bulb but I soon left

Tight_Wad

Thank you.

Did they pay it into your bank account? I checked my payments on my bulb account but haven't thought of checking my bank statements. I shall go and have a look!

savemoney

It was credit I joined in November and left in December final bill in March

Tight_Wad

Thank you.

I just checked my bank statement and a credit went in labeled as BANK GIRO CREDIT REF MONEYSUPERMARKET, MSE-ENERGYCLUBCR £25.

It was paid exactly 1 calendar month after I joined so I guess that was my cash back and I free to switch now.

Like yourself I also got a payment for referring a friend but it was only £50, but still good. The friend also got £50.

savemoney

Oh I see you used mse link surprised you also got referral credit though I just used someone on here at time there was £100 but usually its £50. I only left them because WHD criteria didn't apply to us despite getting it for many years with coop. Utility point were slightly cheaper so jumped ship

FelineFunk

Tight_Wad wrote: »

Hi, I joined Bulb Energy in June this year and signed up via the MSE energy club, but I can't remember if my tariff has a cash back component? It's their VARI-FAIR tariff.

If it did would I have recieved the cashback yet?

The reason I ask is that I'm thinking of switching to Shell energy as they have a fixed tariff until Oct 2020 and also is a cheaper tariff.

Does the cash back component come from the energy supplier (i.e. Bulb Energy) or somewhere else???

I'm worried if I switch then if I'm due cash back I won't get it.

If you switched via the MSE energy club, then you are entitled to cashback at the rate of £12.50 per fuel switched. (terms & conditions apply)

It will be paid by MSE's parent company, MSM, who actually arrange the switch for you.

It is funded by a share of the money MSM receive from the supplier for having referred you.

FelineFunk

savemoney wrote: »

Oh I see you used mse link surprised you also got referral credit ...

As I understand it, the OP used MSE to switch to Bulb, and received cashback for that switch.
Depending on when the switch occurred, the OP may also have received an extra bill credit that applies from time to time for switches made through MSE to Bulb.

In regards to the referral credit, I understand the OP received that (which would be applied as a bill credit) for referring another new customer to Bulb Energy.

You cannot use a referral link from an customer together with a comparison site. The supplier only pays once for a new customer to the referring party, whether that is an existing customer or via an affiliated third party site (such as an energy comparison site).

Remember, people who are actively referring others to a particular energy supplier are doing so for one reason, and one reason alone i.e. their own benefit.
Just look at all the spammers who attempt to do so on this forum (where such spam is removed where identified), and indeed all the spammers who attach their spammy messgaes to the bottom of almost every MSE article remotely connected to energy (which unfortunately MSE seem to do nothing about, despite the invitation to report such spam )

The best advice to anyone who is seeking to save money by switching supplier is available in the MSE article
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity/
i.e. to start by consulting a comparison site.

Then, once you have identified the best supplier(s) and tariff(s) for your own specific purposes, then see if you can also earn potential cashback/referral for that particular switch.

MSE Martin does not generally advise taking potential cashback into account when deciding the best supplier(s) and tariff(s) for you as such cashback is not guaranteed until it is deposited into your bank account.
However, I see MSE often include their own CEC cashback in their comparisons, presumably as it's the only way to make their 'exclusive' deals look attractive, and then the potential savings are often compared to the suppliers most expensive tariffs, i.e. their standard varible tariff.

FelineFunk

Tight_Wad wrote: »

...I just checked my bank statement and a credit went in labeled as BANK GIRO CREDIT REF MONEYSUPERMARKET, MSE-ENERGYCLUBCR £25.

It was paid exactly 1 calendar month after I joined ....

Interesting, as MSE say it usually takes at at least 3 months, and can take up to 6 months.

Must be a personal best for MSE!

Moreover, this morning we have another user with the same supplier, Bulb, where it has been allegedly confirmed by MSE that Bulb have still not paid up after 9 months, and agreed by Bulb that the cheque is 'probably' in the post to MSE :cool:

tgon

Never saw a penny from my switch to Bulb even after repeated contact to MSE

Former_MSE_Holly

tgon wrote: »

Never saw a penny from my switch to Bulb even after repeated contact to MSE

If you need some help with your cashback tgon, drop an email to energyclub@moneysavingexpert.com and one of the team can let you know the status on this